full sail
1
5.6
- noun
:
a toda vela
- During the storm, the boat was still able to move at full sail despite the rough conditions.
Examples
-
"They look like boats at full sail," Marina said.
Fiction book (2002) -
We are under full sail.
-
I think it's "full sail," but I may be wrong on that.
Blog text (32) -
Full sail will have your boat hitting top speed and is a handy way to get from A to B fast.
Blog text (7) -
The pirates prattle on as their ship moves away from the dock under full sail.
Fiction book (2002) -
Alicia thought it equal in speed to a longship under full sail.
Fiction book (1992) -
It seemed the illusory vessel was under full sail, toward some dark, alien harbor.
Fiction book (2002) -
Be wary of wind change; however, as entering full sail doesn't give you the maneuverability of half-sail, you could find rogue winds pointing your ships towards a nice shiny cliff face.
Blog text (7) -
The yacht raced across the water at full sail, reaching impressive speeds.
-
With her determination and energy, she approached the marathon at full sail, ready to conquer the challenge.
Synonyms
12
5.8
A state of moving at the highest speed and with the most effort
1
5.6
With as much speed and effort as possible
Antonyms
How Fast
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase literally combines 'full' (completely) with 'sail' (a ship's canvas), so a learner can infer a picture of sails fully set producing maximum speed. However, extending that concrete nautical image to the abstract sense 'operating at maximum speed/effort' requires a metaphorical inference and idiomatic usage knowledge, so it is not fully predictable for a B1 learner.
Etymology
The phrase full sail comes from old sailing ships when the wind filled the sail and the boat moved at its fastest. That's why 'full sail' now means moving or working with the most speed and energy.